Author Topic: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence  (Read 5048 times)

Offline EngineeringSquatch

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Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« on: April 28, 2017, 05:09:08 PM »
Hi Everyone!
This is my first time posting so I may be in the wrong board, please move me if so. I need help! I was given a 1980 c30 pickup truck 292 I6 4 speed. It is a long story about it but it has a lot of sentimental value to me. So I have decided to start fixing it up and getting it semi-restored. This is my first truck build ever. I am currently in college for engineering, money and time are fairly tight. The problem I have been having is the more I work on it the less it makes sense. It is 4 wheel drive which it is my understanding it should be 2wd because it is designated "C". But the biggest thing that doesn't make any sense is it being a dually. It doesn't have the correct dually front-end. Also I noticed that the rear-end seemed to be shifted to the left about 4 inches. I crawled under it and found someone had cut and lengthened the drivers side of the rear-end about 3 inches and didn't do anything to the passenger side. I believe it was originally a SRW before bubba got a hold of it. I want to swap it back to SRW if it isn't to difficult. My knowledge of cars is limited, but I am fairly mechanically inclined. I attached a few pictures if you need more to answer the questions I can get them.

So here are my questions:

How can I figure out the gear ratio in the rear-end and the front end so I can buy a new rear-end for it?
Can I pull the dually fenders off the bed without any problem?
If I wanted to do a 3 inch left what do I buy a lift for a C30 or a K30?
Is there any way to salvage the rear-end I have?


Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2017, 05:22:43 PM »
welcome from maryland. yeah that thing looks like bubba got a hold of her. the visor doesnt look like it belongs and if it is for a chevy it should be back further on the roof but the clearance lights. have to wait for others to chime in but not sure when that trim started. thought that front clip got the old style of two pieces one top and one bottom. its hard to say whats all been done. the vin might even be swapped or cab
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

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Offline North Central Ohio

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2017, 12:59:40 AM »
Welcome from Ohio. Seems like you have quite the project goin on! I don't know,but it would seem to me that a guy who would have a "c" series would be more apt to rig it up to a "k" series,than visa versa. I'm not exactly sure bout the rear end ratio,but wouldn't one count the revolutions between the drive shaft and the revolutions of the rear wheels? I don't mean any disrespect...you said this truck has sentimental value,but,in my personal opinion,whoever gave you this truck,be it a family member or a close friend,if no one can give you good history on it,thatd be a misjustice. Good luck brother

Offline zieg85

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2017, 07:52:10 AM »
Have you decoded the VIN to see what you have?  Welcome from the St. Louis, MO area
Carl 
1985 C20 Scottsdale 7.4L 4 speed 3.21
1986 C10 under construction
https://www.facebook.com/groups/248658382003506/

Offline EngineeringSquatch

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2017, 07:59:00 AM »
What part of Ohio? I am around the Portsmouth area. The truck was given to me through a will, I didn't even know I was getting it until I got a call about it. The man that owned it was my neighbor and whenever he would haul hay with it I would ride around with him as a kid. He passed away from cancer 2 years ago and had no children of his own and left it to me because of how much I enjoyed it. So there's my sob story about it. The history I do know on it was his father bought it in the early 90s to pull a camper out to Colorado elk hunting. I am pretty sure they were the ones to bubba'd it lol. I also got a 454 motor with the truck they had planned to swap into it.  I also know who bought it brand new and I am trying to contact them to see what it was originally, but so far no luck.

I have been considering the wheel rotation technique. but I was hoping there would be some for of identification on the rear-end or front-end

 Of course someone messed with the hood before I got it and Bent it.....

Offline EngineeringSquatch

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2017, 08:05:17 AM »
I decoded the Vin and this is what I have got:

C - Chevrolet
C- 2wd chassis
T- 292 I6
3- 1-ton
4- Pick-Up
A- 1980
1- Gm of Canada OSHAWA

Does this seem valid? And I was reading that the gear ratio is posted inside the glove box? is that true?

Offline EngineeringSquatch

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2017, 08:12:46 AM »
This is the interior when I got it. On the bright side all the lights work great. The brakes work and it only took about 60$ in parts to get it running

Offline EngineeringSquatch

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2017, 08:13:58 AM »
Posting Picture on here is a struggle lol

Offline zieg85

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2017, 08:47:06 AM »
I decoded the Vin and this is what I have got:

C - Chevrolet
C- 2wd chassis
T- 292 I6
3- 1-ton
4- Pick-Up
A- 1980
1- Gm of Canada OSHAWA

Does this seem valid? And I was reading that the gear ratio is posted inside the glove box? is that true?
May have the code but really not reliable since someone made it a 4 wheel drive.  Best thing to do is identify the front axle, get a new differential gasket and change the gear oil.  See what number is stamped on the ring gear.  Common ratio's for 3/4 T- 1 Ton is a 4.10
Carl 
1985 C20 Scottsdale 7.4L 4 speed 3.21
1986 C10 under construction
https://www.facebook.com/groups/248658382003506/

Offline EngineeringSquatch

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2017, 09:13:38 AM »
Also I wanted to ask about the 4x4. It doesn't have locking hubs? Is this conman? Does it mean its always spinning the drive shaft?Another question is about the grill. I haven't seen one quite like it before in all my searching online

Offline zieg85

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2017, 09:36:53 AM »
Full time 4 wheel drive was common in 1980.  If the VIN was replaced one has to wonder why.  Has the floor been welded on to add the transfer case clearance needed? (common when a 2 wheel drive cab is used) or someone just made the existing C30 a K30 (look for bolted on spring and front end 4x4 suspension components).  A little detective work to determine what was done or maybe it is best left a mystery and continue on.
Carl 
1985 C20 Scottsdale 7.4L 4 speed 3.21
1986 C10 under construction
https://www.facebook.com/groups/248658382003506/

Offline EngineeringSquatch

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2017, 09:52:21 AM »
I have to look today and get some more pictures. I found an entire interior in good shape for 100$ and the guy has two 14 bolt rear-ends 3:73 and 4:10 225$ a piece. Are these fairly good prices? At this point I think I am just going to buy which ever rear-end makes the most sense for what I want. I want to run either 33 or 35 inch tires. Max round trip will be 100 miles with it. Ill probably just pull goose neck with hay, car hauler, and maybe a skidsteer. Which ratio would you guys recommend?

Offline zieg85

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2017, 10:05:19 AM »
Which ratio would you guys recommend?
  You need to determine what ratio is in front or you will run into major issues.  They need to match
Carl 
1985 C20 Scottsdale 7.4L 4 speed 3.21
1986 C10 under construction
https://www.facebook.com/groups/248658382003506/

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2017, 03:01:27 PM »
are you keeping the dually fenders? if you go the srw you have to get a new bed unless you keep the fenders which will look a little weird. you can pull a goose neck with a srw and the gvwr will only be a few numbers off but it wouldnt matter to DOT what axle it has but what its tagged for and the rating on the trucks sticker
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: Noob Here Needing All sorts of guidence
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2017, 03:03:27 PM »
also on the price. ive gotten a matching set (front and rear ¾ ton) for either 200 or 300 (its been about 10 years ago) at a junk yard
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes